A host of local club representatives and officials attended the first ever FIFA Solidarity Contribution and Training Compensation workshop to be staged in the Caribbean as the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association held the event at Naparima College, San Fernando on Saturday.
Two presenters from Germany arrived in Port of Spain on Friday evening on the invitation from TTFA President David John-Williams, Attorney-at-Law Jan Schweele of the Schweele Law Office in Berlin,Germany and his colleague Dr Georg Froese. They came in to conduct the workshop which was aimed at educating locals on the benefits that can be derived from understanding and becoming active in the Solidarity Contribution and Training Compensation process.
Schweele explained what it is all about.
“FIFA Solidarity Contribution and Training Compensation was invented by FIFA in order to support the solidarity within the football-family so that former clubs of now professional players, who were transferred internationally, get rewarded for the education and training they provided to that particular player in the past,” Schweele told TTFA Media.
Solidarity contribution becomes due on each international transfer of a professional player who is bought out of his contract. A total of 5 % of the transfer fee have to be redistributed to the clubs where the player was registered between the seasons of his 12th and 23rd birthday.
”Training Compensation is due to all training clubs, which have trained the player between his 12th and 21st birthday, upon the signing of the player’s first professional contract in an international context. It is also due if a professional is transferred internationally before the season of his 23rd birthday. In this case his former club is entitled to receive Training Compensation,” Schweele stated.
TTFA President David John-Williams expressed pleasure over the hosting of the workshop which shifted to the sister-isle of Tobago on Sunday. Tobago has produced players that have gone on to sign overseas contracts, most notably Dwight Yorke and in recent times, Keon Daniel, Rundell Winchester and Trevin Caesar. Clubs and coaching schools or academies stand to benefit from the transfers of these players once they follow the procedures, one of which includes being an affiliate of the TTFA.
“I was quite pleased. The turn out was quite good. We had about thirty participants and I felt it was very enlightening for the participants,” John-Williams said .
“ This is the first of many workshops that we intend to do. I feel very strongly about it, as Joanne Salazar said in her closing comments, we are going to welcome these two gentlemen back to Trinidad and Tobago because we feel that they have a lot to share with Trinidad and Tobago football and impart their knowledge to many more clubs he added.
“I think the information of the amount of money that is available through training and compensation and solidarity payments, there is a lot of money that is sitting in world football that clubs in the Caribbean and in particular Trinidad and Tobago are not accessing, especially when the clubs are investing money in the young players for over a number of years.
“I think it is important that a seminar like this has now educated the clubs in Trinidad and Tobago on accessing the money. At the end of the day, it’s not only about accessing the money but it’s getting more money into the game so that the game in Trinidad and Tobago can benefit from the grassroots level right up to the National Senior Team,” the TTFA President added.
Schwelle used some examples of local players during his presentation including matters that he and Froese have dealt with including the transfers of Kenwyne Jones and other players such as Aubrey David who is now with Costa Rican top flight club Deportivo Saprissa, as well as other world stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Mesut Ozil.
Secondary Schools are also entitled to these benefits currently as was the case with St Anthony’s College in relation to Jones’ transfers.
Schweele and Froese will be in Port of Spain during the early part of this week and interest persons involved in local club football, particularly those who attended the workshop, can meet with them at the TTFA offices on Monday and Tuesday to hold further discussions on the topic.